The Irony of Love
by queentveit
Summary: Enjolras is concerned that Marius' new smitten behavior might negatively affect their revolution-in-progress. His main concern has always been for his beloved Patria... but when he has an experience similar to that of Marius', his world is turned upside down. He knows he has a duty to fight for France - but what will happen to the love of his life? AU Enjolras/OC.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: **Hello everyone! This is the first story I've written for Les Misérables. I've been working very hard on it for a few months now and so far I've been pretty pleased with how it's turning out. I haven't read the Brick yet, so I've been doing a great deal of research on the characters and such. Please let me know if there is anything off or any kind of misleading information – I'll be happy to fix it. I was initially nervous to post this online because I noticed that mostly everyone writes Enjolras with either Éponine or slash so I'm unsure if many people will read this. Since then I've come across a few other OC stories, so hopefully you'll all enjoy mine! Thank you for reading and reviews are always greatly appreciated. :)

* * *

_Paris – June 1832_

Enjolras emerged from the Café Musain experiencing an overwhelming array of emotions. General LaMarque had passed – and he and the Amis de l'ABC were fully prepared to execute their revolution. He felt an electric chill at the thought. The people would finally be uplifted! Justice would finally be served!

Yet despite his euphoric feelings of victory and excitement, there was one little detail that had bothered him about the evening. Marius had been acting quite peculiar. Never in his time of knowing him, had he heard him speak of a woman in such a way. So why now? What was it about this girl that made her so special? He just couldn't see eye to eye with him. Underneath all the excitement, Enjolras was worried – worried that Marius' "epiphany" might jeopardize the success of their revolution. He couldn't have Marius speaking in such a manner at the Café. He feared that some of the other students might actually listen to him and take his side instead. Then what would become of their revolution? He had to keep them focused on the higher cause at hand.

He continued to wander back to his flat, his concentration more focused on his current situation than on where he was actually going. His thought processes were halted abruptly when he heard what sounded like an argument coming from a nearby alleyway.

"No, sir, I don't think you understand. I'm not a prostitute—" the voice of a young British woman was suddenly cut off by her high-pitched shriek.

He immediately dashed into the alley to see a man trying to force himself upon the young woman. Enjolras practically ripped the man off of her, grabbed him by the collar of his shirt, and with one swift blow to the temple, the man crumpled to the ground.

Both stepped back, breathing heavily. Enjolras didn't waste a second.

"Come on, he may come around at any time," he said hoarsely, taking the girl by the elbow and hurrying her out of the alley.

He made sure that they were a safe distance away before they stopped to catch their breath. He let go of her arm.

"Are you alright?" he asked as the woman brushed herself off.

"Yes... yes, I'm fine... Thank you... you... you saved me from a rather dreadful experience," she said as she looked up, still a little breathless and shaken from all the sudden commotion.

A stunning feeling suddenly overcame him. He hadn't really caught a clear glimpse of her face until then... He felt as if something had physically moved inside of him. Every inch of his being felt like it was drawn to her, and he had no idea why. Her hair was unlike anything he'd seen before – a pretty golden orange colour. It fell loosely in long strands past her shoulders and down her back. Her blue eyes were flecked with gold; they sparkled bright against her pale porcelain skin. She was beautiful, yes – but there was something else about her that he just couldn't place. She was just stunning. Absolutely –

The girl cleared her throat, breaking him out of his dreamlike stupor. "Sir?"

Realizing his mouth was gaping open, he quickly slammed it shut, licking his lips nervously. "I... ah, umm, it was not a problem, mademoiselle."

Enjolras felt suddenly shameful of his odd behaviour. Since when was he so jittery?

A very small, unsure smile crept upon her lips. It was apparent that she thought him to be some kind of freak.

He shook himself mentally, determined to get rid of his dazed manner for good. "My name is Enjolras," he leaned forward, offering his hand.

"Victoria Watson," she said hesitantly, returning the handshake.

He smiled. "Would you – would you care to join me at my flat for some tea?" he asked her without really thinking.

Victoria raised her eyebrows. "Tea? At this hour?"

He blushed furiously, feeling grateful for the lack of light in the street. "Well, then at least let me walk you to your flat."

"No, that's alright, thank you. I think I can manage fine on my own," she said politely, starting to turn away from him. She stopped as he suddenly took hold of her wrist. She slowly turned back to face him.

"Please," he said. "Don't go alone. As you have probably guessed for yourself by now, these streets can be particularly dodgy at night."

She slowly glanced at his hand wrapped around her wrist. Her gaze shifted back up to his face – his expression was intent.

"Well, if you insist," she said, gently taking her wrist back. "It's this way," she gestured, and began walking. Enjolras followed and fell into step beside her.

"Why haven't I seen you before?" he asked her. He was very familiar with the area and rarely saw any new faces.

"My family just moved here last week from Great Britain. My father is a philanthropist, and he's very determined to aid the poor all around Europe," she said.

He nodded. "That's very good of him."

"Yes, I agree. I'm afraid that all of the moving around may get annoying after while, though," she said, then paused for a moment; a pensive expression on her face. "Don't the French hate the British?"

Her question caught him off-guard. "I suppose some do. I haven't really thought of that before," he shrugged. He didn't think of Britain often, what with his growing obsession with Patria.

She smiled. "Fair. It was just a thought I've been wondering about lately. What do you do?"

"Me? I'm a student. I'm looking to go into politics."

"That's very interesting," she said, studying him for a moment. "You seem like you'd be quite a good politician."

"You think so?" he smiled bashfully.

She nodded, smiling back. "Yes, definitely."

"Well, thank you. How about yourself?"

"I'm also a student; I'm studying to become a journalist."

He raised his eyebrows. "That's very prestigious of you."

"Thank you. Papa says that it's important for everyone to earn an education, even women," she said, and stopped in front of a building. "Well, this is my flat. Thank you once again for escorting me and... saving me from an awful experience."

Enjolras held up his hand. "No need to give thanks. Now, I pray you'll remember not to go wandering out here alone anymore?"

She pursed her lips; a bit of a smug expression was on her face. "Yes, sir."

He smiled warmly. "Thank you." He paused for a moment; a different expression clouding his features. "Despite the terrible circumstances under which we met... It has been lovely to be of your acquaintance, mademoiselle," he said smoothly as he bowed down to plant a delicate kiss on her hand.

Victoria's pale complexion turned eight shades of crimson in the moonlight. "And the same to you," she said, a little breathlessly. She walked up to her building. "Good night, M'sieur Enjolras," she said with an admiring smile as she opened the door and went inside.

Enjolras stood there for a few seconds, trying to process the recent events. What had just happened? He turned around and slowly started walking; rubbing his eyes and trying to think clearly. He felt as if a new universe had just opened itself up to him – a universe that was filled with light and peaceful tranquility. He felt remarkable. Rejuvenated. Like an entirely different person.

Was this what Marius had been talking about? But how could it be? Everything he had said had been absolute rubbish... hadn't it? Enjolras didn't want to fall in love. His only admiration was for Patria – he didn't feel that he needed anything else to complete him. Yet... in the moment that their gazes locked for the first time... as he fell into step beside her... He had never felt so full and so complete, not ever in his life... and the craziest part of it all, was that he had never even realized that he held any voids to fill.

"I must be going mad," he muttered to himself.

After a great deal of thinking, Enjolras decided to just get some rest. Perhaps his madness would vanish overnight.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: **Hello again! Behold the second chapter! The first few chapters are a bit short, so I apologize – they get longer as the series progresses. Also a big thank you goes to my first followers/reviewers. Although there are only two of you so far, you are greatly appreciated! Enjoy! :)

* * *

He was in some sort of room, but his surroundings were not of his concern. He was spending time with Victoria – and they were in love. Deeply, unconditionally in love... but suddenly, she had vanished. He rushed outside to see that she had been taken by the King of France. He was holding her with a gun pressed to her temple, atop of a flaming barricade. He panicked, hurriedly trying to extinguish the flames, but nothing was working. Victoria was screaming for him to help her, but there was nothing he could do.

"_Vive la France_," the king called out to him. He watched in anguish, helplessly, as Victoria's screams stopped as suddenly as the gunshot sounded.

Enjolras bolted upright in his bed, practically drenched in a cold sweat. He rubbed his eyes, panting heavily as he slowly came back to reality. He could still hear his heart pounding in his ears.

His madness apparently hadn't left him.

After he felt slightly recovered, he got up and walked over to his washing basin, rinsing his face with cold water. Everything felt like it was spinning – that nightmare had been terrifyingly graphic, and had shaken him deeply. How was it even possible that all of this could happen just because of one person? The answer was far beyond his knowledge.

He eventually wandered back to his bed, hoping that the remainder of his slumber would be peaceful and interrupted.

* * *

Later on, Enjolras was able to distract himself from his "madness" with a day's studies. He was taking his usual shortcut home through the market, when he abruptly stopped in the middle of his path.

Victoria was right in front of him, picking fruits at a booth. She gestured to another booth and the young girl beside her walked off in that direction. She paid for the fruit and started to turn away from the booth, noticing him in the process. She smiled and walked over.

Enjolras snapped himself out of his trance and tried to look alive, giving her his best attempt at returning a smile.

"M'sieur Enjolras," she mused. He nodded to her in greeting. "What a surprise. What brings you to the market?"

"I was just passing through on the way back to my flat," he said, gesturing to his messenger bag. "I assume you're here shopping?"

She nodded. "Papa is around here somewhere, giving money to the poor... And that's my sister, Evangeline, over there. We call her Lily for short," she said, pointing out the girl whom he saw her with earlier.

"You two look awfully alike," he remarked.

She smiled. "So I'm often told. She's a handful sometimes, but she really is dear when she wants to be."

Enjolras chuckled. "Although I'm an only child, I understand. My friends are like brothers to me," he said, and was suddenly struck with a spur-of-the-moment idea. "Say, if you're not busy this evening, perhaps you'd like to join my friends and I at the Café Musain? We meet there nightly to discuss politics... and, they also like to have a good time. It's an opportunity for you to get to know some of the other students around the neighbourhood," he rambled off.

She nodded, considering this. "Sounds interesting enough. I don't believe I have any plans tonight," she replied.

"Great," he smiled, wondering at the back of his mind whether or not it was such a 'great' idea after all. "I'll, ah, come by your flat at around six o'clock so we can walk there together."

"Sounds like a date," she smiled in return.

"A... a date?" Enjolras swallowed nervously.

"It's an expression, M'sieur," she laughed.

"Oh. Ah, right then," he mumbled, knowing disdainfully that he could do nothing to hide the crimson colour of his cheeks. "I... I should be going. I'll see you later this evening," he said awkwardly with a curt smile and wave as he walked off.

Victoria smiled in amusement, turning to watch as he made his way through the rest of the market; a pensive look overtaking her features.

Evangeline walked up to her side. "Who was that gent you were talking to?"

"A friend of mine," she mumbled, and resumed walking along the booths.

She seemed to consider this for a moment. "Do you fancy him?" she asked; a bit mischievously.

Victoria rolled her eyes. "Evangeline, why must you be so awfully daft?" she said rhetorically.

"So you do!" she exclaimed, grinning devilishly.

"Oh, will you hold your tongue! I never said such a thing," she said, annoyed.

"You said it with your eyes," she trifled.

Victoria sighed in defeat, choosing to ignore her for the time being. Her sister could be quite nosy... although, she admitted to herself that she definitely _did _like him... but did she like him more than a friend? She wasn't sure. Perhaps it would become clear to her that night.

* * *

Enjolras headed back to his flat in a huff. Why did he always make such a fool of himself in front of her? Whenever they spoke, it was like he completely forgot how to act like a human being. He was surprised that she even approached him again – and even more so at the fact that she had agreed to spend time with him and his friends.

Oh, and his friends. He could just imagine what would happen. He was bound to be the laughing-stock of the café, constantly subject to mockery – especially after the way he had handled Marius' situation the previous night.

Well, it was too late now to rearrange anything now. He wanted to be able to spend time with her without seeming too forward. Their relationship was _far _from proper courting, after all... and he hardly knew the girl – that was the strangest bit. She was a complete stranger, and yet he had fallen nearly head-over-heels for her. He still had no idea why he felt so drawn to her. Whatever it was... it just felt right. There was something about her that made him feel sure. She gave him hope.

He wouldn't mess things up that night – he couldn't. If things went well, perhaps he could take her out somewhere, without the situation feeling too awkward. If he wanted things to progress between them, this was his chance to make it happen.


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: **Hello dearest readers! First off I'd like to apologize for this late update; I've been away in NYC for the past couple of days. Updates should be more frequent now that I'm almost done writing the entire series. I'm happy to announce that this chapter is quite a bit longer than the last two. I feel like this chapter is a bit satisfactory, but I tried my best to make it better. Reviews, follows, and favourites are always greatly appreciated! Enjoy, and thank you for reading. :)

* * *

It was just after six o'clock in the evening. Enjolras tapped his foot against the cobblestone aimlessly, waiting anxiously outside of Victoria's flat. About a minute or two later, she slipped out of the front door and into the street. He couldn't help but admire her. She wore a simple dress that accentuated her lean figure, and the way she walked was so graceful. Her smile lit up her face, making her bright eyes sparkle in the soft light.

"Good evening, mademoiselle," he said smoothly, taking her hand and gently kissing it.

She blushed timidly. "Good evening, M'sieur."

Enjolras gestured to the street ahead of them. "Shall we?"

They fell into step together, and it was quiet for a moment.

"Lovely evening, isn't it?" Victoria remarked. It was a cool June evening, having just turned dusk. There were still a few traces of the pink sunset in the fading blue sky.

"Indeed," he nodded, admiring the scene around them. He paused for a moment. "Now, before we get to the Café Musain... I should warn you – Les Amis de l'ABC are a bit of a raucous bunch."

"Les Amis de l'ABC? Qu'est-ce que c'est?" she asked curiously.

Enjolras raised his eyebrows, pleasantly surprised. "Ah, c'est bon – vous êtes pratiquant votre français," he smiled. "We're men of the people, as they say. Revolutionaries."

"A revolution?" she exclaimed, looking a bit alarmed.

He nodded firmly. "It is time for the people to be heard."

She seemed to consider this. "I've heard much about the political unrest here. You must feel very strongly for your causes."

"You're right; we do," he said. "It's important for us to speak up today, for our children tomorrow."

"I agree. I just wish it could be easier," she sighed.

"Don't we all," he frowned. "Unfortunately, we live in a cruel world."

* * *

Within a few minutes, they had reached the Café Musain. Enjolras held the door open for her, trying to brace himself for whatever would happen.

As soon as they were upstairs, heads began turning in their direction, earning them quite a few strange and confused looks. The loud chattering in the room seemed to fade slightly as they all stared at the pair in awe.

Enjolras cleared his throat, feeling extremely awkward. "Everyone, I'd like you to meet Victoria Watson. She's a student new to the neighbourhood, so please make her feel welcome."

The quiet chatter immediately intensified to a level even louder than before. Someone at the back shouted: "The marble statue has a girlfriend! Hell has indeed frozen over!"

A series of drawn out "oohs" and a great deal of laughter followed this remark.

Enjolras shot a disapproving glance into their direction, feeling his face becoming hot with embarrassment.

"The marble statue, huh?" Victoria quietly commented to him as they approached one of the tables; a wry smile on her face.

He pursed his lips. "It's just a silly nickname they gave me; they all think I take things too seriously."

She nodded as they sat down. Enjolras then began introducing everyone.

"This is Courfeyrac, Marius, Grantaire, Joly, Jehan, Combeferre, Feuilly," he rambled off the rest of their names. Some of them came over to shake hands with her, while some made comments poking fun at Enjolras – which he ignored. They all seemed to be very interested in Victoria, all asking her questions.

"It's very nice to meet you all," Victoria smiled. "I haven't really met many people here, other than Enjolras."

"So you're from Britain?" asked Combeferre.

"Yes," she answered. "We lived in London."

"If I may ask, what are you studying?" asked Joly.

"Professional writing and journalism," she said.

"My my, I'm impressed," said Grantaire, his eyebrows raised. "Would you care for a drink?" he asked, holding up a bottle of whiskey.

"Grantaire—" Enjolras warned, feeling exasperated.

"Let the lady answer for herself," he insisted.

"No, thank you; I don't drink," she said, finding their exchange a bit amusing.

"Smart girl," he smiled. "And how about the marble statue?"

Enjolras' expression softened slightly. "I suppose I could use one," he muttered quietly.

Another surprised chatter broke out among the group.

"Well, isn't tonight just full of surprises," Grantaire said, amused. "I suppose you need something to calm those nerves," he whispered to Enjolras as he poured him a glass of the amber liquid. He then turned to wink at Victoria.

Enjolras gave him a stern look before downing the small glass in one gulp. His expression puckered a bit at the potency of the drink.

Grantaire raised his eyebrows, stunned. "Well, that was shocking. You've had your drink now, go on and get up there," he urged, motioning for him to start the meeting.

He leaned over to Victoria as Enjolras got up to go speak. "This should make for an interesting evening."

* * *

By the time Enjolras was done speaking, the café was roaring with excitement. He had successfully revved them all up for the revolution they were planning. He sat down next to Victoria, flushed from all the commotion in the room.

"I must say, that was very uplifting. You're an excellent speaker," she said to him with an encouraging smile.

"You think so? You enjoyed it?" he smiled, feeling the all-too familiar exhilaration he experienced from his speeches.

"I did. It was very interesting to hear what you had to say – I can tell you're very passionate for your cause," she said.

"That's an understatement," Grantaire joked, earning laughs from the group around them.

Enjolras blushed bashfully. He was used to a lot of attention from the Amis, but Victoria's compliments were making him feel giddy inside. He sipped his glass of whiskey subconsciously, which Grantaire kept refilling when he wasn't looking.

Nearly twenty minutes later, Grantaire had managed to get Enjolras and a few other Amis quite tipsy. They were having a loud discussion which no one else understood – however, whatever they were talking about seemed to amuse them greatly, as they were all laughing about it uncontrollably. Victoria and the rest of the sober people watched the scene in amusement.

Enjolras raised his glass to his mouth as to take another drink, when Victoria set it down gently.

"I think that's enough for tonight," she smiled. "I'm going to take him back to his flat," she told Joly, one of the sober ones.

"That's probably a good idea," he chuckled. "It was very nice meeting you, Victoria."

"And you as well," she said. "Come on, say goodbye," she said as she helped Enjolras up.

"Good night everyone," he waved, a bit too enthusiastically.

"Good luck with him, Victoria!" Grantaire called out drunkenly as they left. As soon as they were out the door, she breathed in the cool night air, suddenly realizing how stuffy it was inside the café. Enjolras stumbled up beside her.

"Enjolras? Are you alright?" she asked him, gripping his shoulders in an effort to keep him steady.

He looked around dazedly. "Yes, I... I'm fine," he said, holding his head up with his hands. "Just a little dizzy..."

She couldn't help but smile. "Do you know where you're going, or should I get someone from upstairs to lead the way?" she asked him as they started walking up the street.

"Yes, yes, I'm completely fine. I'm just a little... tipsy," he burped.

She laughed. "Alright, I believe you... I think. Let's just get you home."

* * *

They reached Enjolras' flat just a short time later.

"Are you sure you don't want some... water? Or tea? Or something to eat?" he asked her from where he sat on the couch.

Victoria sat down next to him with a glass of water and a damp cloth. "Don't worry, I'm fine. Here," she said, giving him the glass. He slowly drank it and set it down on the table. She began to dab his face with the cloth.

"Are you feeling a bit better?" she asked him, her blue eyes analyzing him worriedly.

He nodded, swallowing nervously. He felt unusually alert. "Yes, thank you," he said quietly.

He had never been so close to her before.

His palms were sweaty, and he could hear his heart pounding loudly in his ears. She was just so beautiful. A million other thoughts were bouncing around his head... He knew he should do something, or say something – but what?

"Victoria, I-I... I have a bit of a confession to make," he stammered, barely audible. "This may sound... strange... but I... I seem to have... fallen madly in love with you," he swallowed, his heart racing rapidly.

Victoria stared at him intently; a mixture of surprise, awe, and admiration clouded her delicate features.

"I-I don't know if you feel the same way, but... I thought that I should tell you so that... maybe you'd understand why I act so absurdly around you..." he went on, suddenly noticing that she was staring at him.

"I'm rambling, aren't I? Oh, I should never have said anything... you probably think I'm some kind of freak—"

"No," she interrupted him. She smiled at him sympathetically, reaching out to touch his face gently. "I think you're very sweet. It was very brave of you to tell me that."

His head was reeling madly; everything around him seemed to be spinning. He licked his lips; his eyebrows were furrowed as he looked at her in astonishment, trying to make sense of what was happening.

"You-you... you think that..."

"Yes, I do," she said, carefully inching closer to him, gazing at him intently.

"I, but... how..." he mumbled incomprehensibly. She was somehow getting closer to him, and he didn't know what was going on.

"Enjolras, shhh..." she whispered as she slowly reached up, closing the space between them at last. She could taste the alcohol on his breath, but she didn't care. She had never felt so complete and so secure.

Enjolras felt momentarily stunned as he felt her lips connect with his. The whole world seemed to stop for a few seconds. Coming back to his senses, he wrapped his hands around her waist, pulling her close to him and deepening the kiss. The sensation he felt was truly beautiful; it was unlike anything he had ever felt before.

They eventually started to break away slowly. Victoria's cheeks flushed as she looked up at him shyly. Enjolras felt a smile spread across his face.

"Well, that was, um... wow," he exhaled.

"Yes, definitely," she laughed.

Before either knew it, they were kissing again, losing all track of time. After a few minutes, they broke away once again; both breathing heavily.

"Ah, I suppose I should walk you back to your flat now, before it gets too late," he said, trying to catch his breath.

She nodded, exhaling deeply. "Yes, I suppose you're right."

Too short a time later, they were back at Victoria's flat.

"When can I see you again?" she asked him, taking his hands in hers.

"Anytime you'd like – that is, when I'm not studying or at the café. There are only two more days until Lamarque's funeral," he said.

She nodded, looking down at the ground. She knew deep down that something awful was likely to happen.

Enjolras noticed this and frowned, lifting up her chin gently so that her gaze met his. "We should focus on the present for now," he said, cupping her face in his hands. "I have a lecture to attend tomorrow morning... Perhaps we could meet somewhere afterwards?"

"Alright," she nodded, her gaze boring deep into his. Her eyes twinkled in the light of the moon, but he could still see traces of worry laced into her expression. He leaned down to kiss her good night, pulling her close to him. She giggled, breaking away from his grip.

"I have to go," she laughed, but instead, she came back to kiss him one last time. "Good night, Enjolras," she said, her dazzling smile glittering brightly in the dark; her pale cheeks flushed with crimson.

"Bon soir," he said quietly, looking on pensively as she hurried up the steps and into her flat.


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: **Hello again! Finally this chapter is up. I'd like to thank my newest reviewers, followers, and favourites – you truly make me so happy! I apologize in advance if there are any typos that I missed. Today was my first day of school and I am simply _wiped_. I also changed Isabella's name (Victoria's sister) to Evangeline (Lily for short), because I'm a shit disturber. My friend also pointed out to me that Isabella is 'very German' so whoops. Anyway enough of my babbling – hope you enjoy this chapter! Many thanks for reading and reviews/follows/favourites are always welcome. :)

* * *

After his morning lecture, Enjolras walked to the park where he and Victoria had planned to meet. Being the middle of the day, it wasn't too busy; however, the weather had turned out nicely. It was sunny and bright, but not too hot either.

Enjolras sat on a bench near the entrance to wait for her, tapping his foot aimlessly while observing the scene around him and letting his thoughts wander off about all sorts of things.

A few minutes later, he smiled as he caught sight of her walking into the park. She returned his smile as he approached her.

"Victoria, you truly are a sight for sore eyes," he said, giving her a quick kiss on the lips as to not draw _too _much attention from passerby.

She blushed deeply. "Well good afternoon to you, too, M'sieur," she mused as he offered her his arm and they began walking. "I take it you've had a difficult morning?"

"I've had worse," he shrugged. "I just find it awful, having to be stuck in a crammed room, listening to a professor drone on and on about some irrelevant topic when there's just so much _excitement_ these days!"

She grinned at his small outburst. "What could _possibly_ be more exciting than a good old lecture?"

"Well, I was looking forward to seeing you again, and the revolution is less than two days away, I can't believe it!"

"Ah, yes; the revolution. You all seem to be out of your minds excited about it," she said.

"Of course! This is just the beginning. We will soon be on our way to achieving a greater France – a country of equality," he grinned.

"I admire your enthusiasm, Enjolras. I really do," she smiled at him, but her gaze hesitantly trailed to the ground.

He noticed this immediately. "My darling, what's wrong? Have I upset you?"

"No, no... I'm just... worried," she grimaced, refusing eye contact with him.

"Worried? About what?" he asked, his concern showing in his eyes.

"Ah... it's nothing," she resisted. "Forget I said anything."

He stopped walking abruptly, taking her hands in his and staring into her eyes intently. "Victoria, please. I promise you can tell me whatever it is. You know I care about you; I don't want to see you upset."

She sighed. "Enjolras, I know you're excited about this revolution, and I understand why, but..." she bit her lip. "I'm scared. I don't want you to get hurt."

His expression softened as he took this in. Although he might not have directly admitted it to himself, he knew there was a high risk that he wouldn't come out of it alive. Beneath his excitement and enthusiasm for his cause, he felt a deep guilt and a sinking selfish feeling. He didn't want to leave Victoria behind, but he knew that it was his duty to fight. In the meantime, he didn't want her worrying about him.

He slowly slid his hand along her jaw, gently rubbing her cheek with his thumb. "I'll be fine. You needn't worry about me."

She looked up at him, traces of worry still in her eyes. She didn't want to argue. "If you say so."

"Trust me," he said insistently. He wrapped his arms around her and gave her a reassuring kiss on the forehead. She smiled to herself, revelling in his embrace. She truly felt at home in his arms.

After a moment they parted, and resumed walking. It was quiet between them, but the silence wasn't awkward; it was peaceful.

"What do you say about coming to another meeting tonight? Did my friends scare you too much?" he smiled.

She laughed. "No, I had a good time last night; your friends are quite amusing, I must say. I wouldn't mind going again," she said, returning his smile.

"I'm glad you enjoyed yourself," he said. "I promise I won't get drunk this time."

"It's alright; it's not like anything bad came out of that anyway," she looked at him knowingly as he blushed. "I should be leaving soon, before Papa starts to wonder where I am... would you mind escorting me?" she asked him.

"It would be of my greatest pleasure, mademoiselle," he smiled, planting a kiss on her hand.

* * *

Later on that evening, Enjolras and Victoria exited the Café Musain. Both were smiling, walking with an arm wrapped around each other's torso. Anyone passing by would've described them as "the picture of happiness".

"I think... that may have been the best meeting I've ever had," Enjolras remarked in awe.

"You were wonderful, darling," she agreed. "You really have the power to captivate an audience."

"You really think so?" he asked. They stopped in the street; Enjolras turned to face her, putting his hands on her hips.

"I do," she nodded.

Enjolras just grinned at her, dumbfounded, feeling an all-too familiar haze wash over him. He found it amazing – and shocking – that just a few nights ago, at almost the exact same time, he had wandered out of the Café, criticizing Marius for falling in love, not even really knowing what that meant. Now, he had this beautiful girl in front of him. He found it crazy how in one moment, he hadn't known she existed, and the next, he could hardly imagine living life without her.

She smiled in amusement at his glazed-over expression. "Enjolras? Are you there?"

He blinked, snapping out of his trance. "Hmm? What? Oh, I was just thinking..."

"What were you thinking about?" she asked, batting her eyelashes teasingly.

He couldn't help but blush. "The night that we met... it was just like this. I was leaving the Café, and the funniest thing is... I was cross with Marius. He kept raving about this _girl_, and how he was 'in love'... I thought it was all rubbish at the time; couldn't understand it for the life of me," he shook his head in disbelief. "And then I found you."

There was a period of silence as they simply gazed at each other.

"And now you understand," she said quietly.

He nodded. "Now I understand."

Enjolras leaned forward and kissed her, deeply and passionately. In that moment, time ceased to exist; the world around them disappeared. They were the only two people in the world.

Slowly, they broke away. Victoria turned red under Enjolras' intense and affectionate stare. He then took her hand, and their fingers laced through each other's.

As they walked, the couple found themselves easily lost in conversation. They seemed to talk about everything under the sun – or the moon, in their case. At this moment, they were laughing at a story Victoria had told about Evangeline when she was younger.

"You've never really talked about your family before," she commented.

He looked out at the street before them. "I suppose it's because I'm used to being alone... My father died of a heart attack when I was twelve. My mother, who was a frail thing, she'd never been in good health... she passed only months after he did. It must've been too much for her," he grimaced. "They left me a great deal of money, and I've been on my own ever since. I have other family in France; grandparents, aunts, uncles... but they all live in Bordeaux, or other places... none in Paris," he shrugged.

Victoria looked at him in shock. "Enjolras... that's, my God, that's awful, I'm so sorry..."

He smiled at her, squeezing her hand gently. "It's alright, my dear; it was years ago – and besides, I have you now."

Hearing him say this warmed her heart. "Yes, you do," she said, walking close to him and planting a kiss on his cheek.

"My mother died of tuberculosis when I was ten... Lily was just two... I've always missed my mother, but your situation seems so much more awful..." she frowned.

"I'm sorry about your mother," he frowned also, squeezing her hand again. "But I'm sure she loved you very much. My father was always busy working, he was a lawyer... I hardly ever saw him. My mother was always too sick to take care of me. I spent most of my time with the nanny, or by myself."

"I'm sure your parents loved you, Enjolras," she said reassuringly.

"I like to think they did," he smiled thoughtfully. "What was your mother like?"

"Papa always says Lily and I are just like her... I don't remember too much about her... but I do remember her teaching me how to read. She'd always read me stories... And when she died, I starting writing my own stories," she said, smiling to herself.

"So, you want to be a journalist to honor your mother?" he asked.

"In a way, yes. I feel like I credit her for my love of reading and writing," she said, looking up to the heavens.

He just stared at her for a moment. "I think that's beautiful, Victoria."

"You do?"

"Mhm," he nodded, just gazing at her admiringly. She smiled, feeling herself blush again, she shook her head, looking at the ground.

"Oh, look, we've reached my flat," she pointed out.

"Shame," he mused. His expression suddenly turned more serious as he took her hands in his. "I'm going to be at the Café most of the day tomorrow... we're going to be preparing for General Lamarque's funeral."

She nodded slowly as her expression sobered immediately. She stared at the ground, biting her lip.

He frowned, seeing her sudden change in behaviour. "My love," he said, gently tilting her chin up. "Please, please do not worry. Everything's going to be fine, alright?"

She gave a small huff, tucking her arms close to her chest and letting her eyes wander elsewhere.

Enjolras pursed his lips; his shoulders rose and fell as he sighed. He couldn't blame her for being cross with him, given the situation. He stroked her cheek gently with his thumb. "Perhaps, tomorrow night... after everyone's asleep... you'd like to accompany me at my flat?"

She slowly looked up at him again, scrutinizing him in wonder. "Enjolras, if I didn't trust you with my life, I'd think that you were up to no good."

He smiled. "Nothing bad, I promise," he said, looking at her tenderly. He placed a hand against her neck and kissed her softly.

"I love you, Victoria," he breathed against her skin.

She could hear her heart thumping loudly in her ears, making its presence well-known. He was simply tantalizing; irresistible. He awakened all of her senses, sparking in her a flame of deep and abysmal desire...

"I love you, too," she whispered, forcing herself to break away from his enticing gaze.

"Good night, Enjolras," she said, glancing at him longingly before heading back into her flat.

A nostalgic smile spread upon Enjolras' lips. After a moment of basking in the silence of the night, he set off once again down the street, wondering what tomorrow would bring.


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: **Hello everyone! Here is Chapter Five! I loved writing this chapter; some people call me the 'angst queen' hahaha. (Hint hint). I also came up with a line in here that sounded really familiar – I googled it and turns out it's from Pocahontas. (This is why I have problems). Let's see if y'all can figure out which line it is! Anyway, thank you to everyone who followed, favourited, and reviewed; I truly love you dearly! I hope you enjoy this chapter and happy reading. :)

* * *

Enjolras waited silently in the dim light; only a single candle was lit in his flat. He stared off into space; his shirt was slightly unbuttoned and a glass of whiskey was in his hand. He sipped it aimlessly, wondering how he was supposed to feel about his current situation. Tomorrow he was leaving for the barricade. He had to wonder if this would be the last night he would ever spend at his flat. He couldn't help but feel uneasy at this thought. He hated to drink, but the whiskey helped to calm the chaos in his mind a little bit.

A minute or two later, a soft knock came from the door. He put his glass down on a table and went to open it.

Victoria silently stepped into the flat while Enjolras quietly shut the door behind her. Hesitantly, he turned to face her. The pair just stared at each other for a long moment with blank faces, both having the same repetitive thoughts of 'what if'.

He then rushed over to kiss her, just as the tears brimming at her eyes spilled out onto her cheeks. The gravity of the situation had suddenly fallen upon her with earth-shattering force. Even just the possibility that he wouldn't return from the barricade nearly scared her half to death. With him, the mere days that she had known him felt more like years. She wasn't sure if she could even bear to be without him.

He pulled away for a moment, and to his dismay, saw that she was crying. He frowned, gently wiping away her tears with his thumb.

"Please don't cry," he whispered. "We still have tonight."

She nodded mutely. He grimaced and tucked his arm around her waist, giving her a kiss on the temple and leading her over to his couch. They sat down and he wrapped his arms around her tightly.

A few stray tears fell from Victoria's eyes as he kissed the top of her head, his hand running up and down her back gently as she rested her head on his chest. Although he was making an attempt to comfort her, she realized that this could be one of the last times she would ever spend with him. This made her think about how she would have to go on living her life without him, and although she had lived so many years without him already, this idea somehow seemed impossible to her.

Enjolras looked down at Victoria with an intense worry written plainly all over his features. He hated seeing her like this. He hated having to leave her behind, all alone. He hated that this was _his _fault – and most of all, he hated himself for doing this to her. All along, he had known that he would have to leave for the barricade in just a few days' time, leaving her behind – but regardless; he had made the selfish choice of pursuing her. He hadn't stopped to think about how this might have affected her. He had taken advantage of her, and he was truly angered at himself because of it.

They just stayed like this for a little while, lost in their own worrisome contemplations. The only audible sound was the quiet pitter-patter of rain on the rooftop.

"Make love to me," Victoria suddenly whispered, snapping Enjolras out of his thoughts abruptly.

He looked down at her in bewilderment. "What?"

She sat up, looking at him with a questioning expression on her face. "That is what you invited me here for, isn't it?" she said as if it was obvious.

He blinked, momentarily shocked. "Victoria, no, of course not—"

"Are you saying you don't want to?"

He swallowed nervously; this had caught him off-guard. "I-I... we-well of course I... of course I _want _to," he sighed, feeling exasperated. "Victoria, don't you know that I respect you far too much to _ever _ask such a thing?"

She shook her head. "You don't _need _to ask."

This was becoming too much for him. "I don't want you to make a mistake. What if I... what if I don't come back? Please don't do something you will regret."

She looked at him intently. "Enjolras, I love you. That will never change. If this should be the last night I ever spend with you... there is nothing else more that I want."

He just stared at her in surprise as he licked his lips nervously; he could hear his heart pounding loudly in his ears. He couldn't even fathom what was happening. "Are you _sure_?"

"Yes," she breathed, seeming surprised that he would even ask her. She gently slid her hand along his jaw line as he slowly leaned in to kiss her; slowly but sensually. Strong sudden feelings of burning passion and desire were unleashed inside both of them, both yearning for each other now more than they ever could have imagined. He pulled her closer to him, carefully scooping her up in his arms and carrying her to his bedroom.

* * *

Enjolras studied her with raw affection in his eyes as he lightly ran a finger along the edge of her bare torso. Victoria smiled as her blue eyes fluttered open, glimmering brightly as they always did when she was happy. She curled up closer to him as he kissed her softly.

"You're beautiful," he whispered.

"And you're... magnificent," she said quietly, sliding her hand up his chest slowly. Enjolras looked down guiltily.

"What's on your mind, my darling?" she asked him, looking concerned.

He sighed. "Victoria, I've taken advantage of you. You have given me so much, and it's not fair that you are going to be left here all alone. This is all my fault," he grumbled angrily.

She shook her head, feeling tears well up in her eyes. "Please, please do not say such things, my love. Do not forget all that you have given me in return! Enjolras, I would rather _die_ than live a hundred years without knowing you. If you do not come back from the barricade, I want you to know that I will never regret anything that has happened between us. Please, never ever think such awful thoughts. I will always love you, no matter what happens."

Her words moved him deeply. He pulled her into his embrace, wrapping his arms around her tightly. "I love you, Victoria. I'm so sorry that this has to be this way."

* * *

Enjolras awoke early the next morning. He wrapped a sheet around his waist and went to look out the window – it would be light soon. He sighed and turned to look at Victoria, who was still sleeping soundly. It pained him that he had to leave her so soon.

He sat down at his desk and pulled out a fresh sheet of parchment. He felt that he needed to write her some kind of a farewell letter, in case he did not make it out alive, for he felt it was easier for him to truly express his feelings on paper rather than speaking face-to-face.

When he was finished he sealed the letter and put it in his coat pocket. He then got back onto the bed, just watching her sleep for a moment. She truly looked at peace. _If only she could stay like this forever, _he thought. He rubbed her back gently, bending down to place a kiss on her shoulder. She stirred and rolled over onto her side.

"It's time to wake up, darling," he whispered quietly, kissing her on the lips softly. The kiss deepened as she wrapped her arms around his neck and they sat up, lost in the thrill of the moment. They slowed down after a minute, just resting their noses against each other's. Enjolras brushed her hair out of her face. "We should go before it turns light."

She sighed. "I've been dreading this moment."

"I know," he sighed as well. "I'm so sorry, Victoria, I really just feel rotten about—"

"My dear, _please _stop apologizing," she said, cupping his face in her hands. "You pledged your word to a cause that you believe in; I understand why it is so important to you. Don't worry about me," she smiled.

He frowned, running a finger down her cheek. "I can't help but worry about you... but thank you for being so wonderful. It means a great deal to me that you understand."

* * *

Too soon, they were once again back at Victoria's flat. The sun was just about ready to rise, and neither of them were prepared to say their goodbyes.

Victoria threw herself into his embrace without hesitation, never wanting to let go. She resented the fact that this moment had seemed to come so quickly. She squeezed her eyes shut as her tears began pouring out.

Enjolras pulled back after what had seemed like an extremely long time. "I hate to see you like this," he whispered, gently wiping her tear-streaked cheeks with his thumbs. He reached into his coat pocket and took out the letter.

"If I don't... return... please read this," he pressed the envelope into her hands, trying to keep his voice steady.

She shook her head in denial, looking down at the envelope. "Please tell me this isn't happening," she whimpered quietly.

"I wish I could," he frowned, practically feeling his heart disintegrating in his chest. "Victoria, please promise me that you'll stay safe."

She pursed her lips. "I can't promise such a thing."

He sighed. "Then promise me you won't go looking for trouble."

She hesitated, looking away for a moment.

"Victoria, please," he whispered pleadingly.

She stared at the ground blankly. "Fine," she agreed, feeling defeated and hopeless.

"Thank you," he took her hand in his and kissed it gently. "I'm afraid I must leave soon. Please, take care of yourself. I love you," he said, his voice quiet and somber.

She tentatively reached up to kiss him softly, trying to make the moment last as long as possible. She slowly pulled away. "I love you, Enjolras. I will be praying for you to come home to me safe and sound."

He nodded, unable to speak, for a large lump had formed in his throat.

She dashed into his embrace one last time, clutching his torso with all of her might. He wrapped his arms around her tightly, kissing the top of her head as he always did.

Victoria took a deep breath, and finally found the courage to pull away from him.

"I hope to see you again, one day."

Enjolras swallowed as he felt her hand slide limply out of his grip.

"À bientôt, ma cherie."


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: **Hello dearest readers! I'm sorry for this late update; I've just been sooo busy lately! This is probably one of the shortest chapters in this series; it's more like a transition chapter, so I apologize for the short length. I think that's all I have to say for now. So I hope you all enjoy, and thank you for reading, following, favouriting and reviewing! :)

* * *

After their first two conflicts at the barricade, the novelty and initial excitement had worn off, and reality was starting to close in on them. Éponine's death had come as an awful shock to all of them – especially because no one had even known she had been at the barricade in the first place. Enjolras quietly slipped into an alleyway, feeling nothing but guilt and remorse. He had come to realize that he and his friends would likely soon meet their demise. He couldn't help but feel like a terrible person for bringing them all into this mess.

On the surface, Enjolras continued to play the part of a fearless and dedicated leader – but on the inside, he was truly scared and nervous. Of course, he was willing to die for his country… but what would dying be like? Would he ever see Victoria again?

Everything seemed to remind him of her. He was able to hide his emotions well, but she was always there, lingering in the thoughts at the back of his mind…

A sudden noise jolted him out of his contemplations. His head snapped up, looking for the source of the sound.

Pulling out his gun and holding it in front of him, he called, "Who's there?"

After hearing more of the rustling noise, a figure slowly emerged from behind a building. Every single thought process in his mind suddenly came to a halt. He stared, mystified, as the person carefully stepped towards him. He felt his arm lower and heard his gun clatter to the ground. He simply couldn't believe it…

"Enjolras… it's me," Victoria said quietly as she finally came face to face with him.

"Victoria, what are you doing? You shouldn't be here, it's dangerous," he said mechanically.

"I'm sorry, I… I saw the soldiers march by my flat earlier. When they came back, I had to…" she trailed off, losing her train of thought.

She took a step closer, as to see him more clearly in the dim light. He was dirty – covered in sweat and soot. There were dark shadows under his eyes and a little bit more beard stubble than usual. He still looked beautiful to her… but she could see that his eyes were filled with pain and worry. She could tell that he'd been stressing a great deal in the past twenty-four hours.

She inched a bit closer and tucked one of his curly hairs aside. "I had to see if you were alright," she whispered worriedly.

He shook his head. "My darling, I am perfectly fine," he tried to assure her, but she wasn't buying it. He just stared at her, sighing in defeat. She could see right through him.

Despite his strong urge to tell her to go home immediately, Enjolras slowly leaned forward, taking her face in his hands and kissing her passionately. He knew that it was unsafe for her, but he needed her there with him; even if it was only for a few short minutes. In the hours that he had spent at the barricade, this was the calmest he'd ever felt.

They broke away after a minute, and with one admiring look at him, Victoria threw her arms around him, engulfing him in her warm embrace.

"I could hear all the commotion from my flat. I've been constantly worrying about you," she pulled back so that she could look into his eyes.

"I… we've been doing… alright. We've had one casualty, Éponine… so far…" he mumbled quietly.

"I'm sorry to hear that," she said, looking down.

"It was awful, and so shocking… None of us even knew she was at the barricade; she came in disguise to protect Marius…"

She shook her head in dismay, frowning deeply. "How dreadful. She seemed like such a lovely girl…"

"She was," he sighed, looking at the ground guiltily.

She gazed at him sympathetically, placing a hand on his shoulder and rubbing his arm comfortingly. "You don't seem at all well, my dear. There is something bothering you; I can see it."

He hesitated, still studying the ground. "I'm a terrible person for dragging my friends into this wreck."

Victoria was extremely surprised to hear him say such a thing. He had always been so enthusiastic about the revolution… It was evident that being at the barricade had been a tough experience for him. "Enjolras, it's clear that you've been through a lot here… you know that isn't true. Your friends are here not just because of you, but because of what they believe in. You didn't force them into anything; they made this decision."

"You always know what to say," he smiled pensively, studying her for a long moment, and just thinking about how much he truly loved having her in his life. "I know we've only been apart for a short time, yet… my mind seems to be constantly clouded with thoughts of you," he said, grasping her hands in his.

She blushed and smiled. "My love, I have missed you dearly."

He smiled back sadly. "And I you. I wish it weren't this way, but it is very unsafe here. You should return to your flat; I don't want you to get hurt."

"I suppose you're right," she frowned, and then reached out to caress his face gently. "Please be careful, Enjolras," she whispered.

He stared into her eyes somberly. This could very well be the last moment he would ever share with her, and that killed him inside. "Remember what you promised me, alright?"

She nodded carefully. "Bonne chance, mon cher."

"Votre français est améliorant," he smiled, and leaned in for one last goodbye kiss. "Je t'aime, Victoria."

"Je t'aime toujours, Enjolras," she said, right before she slipped away into the alleys, out of his sight.

He merely stared at the place where she had disappeared for a long moment. He could feel the gravity of the situation slowly coming down on him, threatening to break his will. He'd always said that Patria was his only mistress. He'd do anything for his country – he was willing to die for it – but he was scared. Scared for his friends, and for the world that he would leave behind… Scared that he would never see Victoria again…

For the first time in years, Enjolras simply sat down and wept.


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: **Hey guys! Long time no see. :( I'm really sorry, I think it's been a week or two since I last updated... I've just been sooo busy with school, and now my job, but now I've completed my training and I'm hopefully dropping my French course so maybe I'll have a bit more time haha. I got no feedback at all on the last chapter, so I hope I didn't disappoint you all... It was quite short, and this chapter is quite long, so hopefully you'll enjoy it. This is where I start to delve a bit deeper into the plot line, so stay tuned. Reviews are always welcome! Thank you for reading, following, and favoriting! :)

* * *

Victoria awoke the next morning to hear the sound of marching outside of her flat. She dashed over to her window and parted the drapes – sure enough, the National Guard was once again headed towards the barricade.

"Oh no," she gasped, slumping down against the wall and onto the floor. They were going there to kill them – to kill them all – and there was nothing she could do to stop them.

She knew that she should eat something but she was no longer hungry. She was now consumed by the stress and raw fear that was panging through every inch of her body. She hoped and prayed with all of her might that Enjolras would somehow be able to protect himself.

Not even ten minutes later, all hell seemed to break loose. Cannons and gunshots were both constantly going off. She could hardly bear knowing that Enjolras and the rest of the Amis were there enduring such a vicious attack. Her tears were coming on steady now. She tried to muffle the sounds by burying her head in her lap, but it hardly helped.

After what seemed like an eternity, the sounds of gunshots and cannons gradually stopped. Now she could hear the National Guard marching again, not a far distance from her flat.

She got up, quickly wiping away her tears as she pulled on a dress hurriedly. She quietly went downstairs and slipped out the door; miraculously unnoticed by her family. From there, she ran off in the direction of the barricade. She reached the alleyway where she had met Enjolras the previous night, which was now deserted... The sight that stood beyond it shocked her to her core.

The barricade was destroyed – almost completely. There were bodies lying everywhere, lying still in pools of their own blood. The most horrifying fact was that she recognized many of their faces. Enjolras, however, was nowhere to be found.

She stifled a sob, nearly in hysterics. "Is anyone here? Help, someone please help!"

A woman slowly emerged from one of the buildings around Rue Mondetour. Victoria rushed over to her immediately.

"Please, you've got to help me find my suitor, Enjolras..."

The two women searched among the fallen for Enjolras, or anyone still alive. Victoria was starting to lose hope, when the woman suggested that they look inside the wine shop.

She felt a shiver run down her spine as she noticed that there was a trail of blood drips leading towards the stairs inside the wine shop.

Her stomach clenched at what they found. Courfeyrac, Combeferre, Joly, and Grantaire were all there, shot dead... and miraculously, Enjolras was there as well, lying unconscious by the window.

"Oh my goodness, Enjolras," she gasped as she ran over and knelt by him. She could no longer hold in the tears she had been suppressing. There was a gunshot wound in his shoulder that was seeping blood. She instinctively placed her hand on his neck. At first, she didn't feel anything... but under her fingers was the faintest beat of a pulse.

"He's alive!" she exclaimed, feeling as if she'd just witnessed a miracle.

She turned to the woman accompanying her. "I need you to summon me a doctor and a cabriolet _immediately_. I will pay for everything, I promise – but if he doesn't receive medical care soon, he won't live for much longer."

The woman agreed and hurried off. Victoria tore a piece of fabric from the bottom of her dress and wrapped it tightly around his wound, putting an immense amount of pressure on it.

She brushed some hair out of his face and gave him a gentle kiss on his forehead. "Keep holding on, my love."

* * *

Victoria and her family waited anxiously outside of the guest room of their flat while a doctor properly cleaned and bandaged Enjolras' shoulder. A few minutes later, he came to the door.

"Well," he said, turning to them, "Monsieur Enjolras is alive – but not by much. His pulse is still very weak. He's lost blood, so he'll need a great deal of rest in order to recover. Mademoiselle Victoria, your makeshift bandage managed to lessen the bleeding quite a bit. If it weren't for you, I doubt he would have survived."

She nodded slowly; her eyes wandering back to where Enjolras lay, still unconscious.

"Thank you very much sir," said Victoria's father, Mr. John Watson. The doctor packed up his bag and Mr. Watson led him downstairs.

She could hear them discussing that the doctor would come by for daily visits. Almost mechanically, she walked into the guest room and just continued to stare at Enjolras; a million thoughts running through her mind. She couldn't believe he was alive. He had survived all of it... and if it weren't for her, he probably wouldn't have made it. It was a good thing that she had broken his promise.

"Victoria, are you alright?" asked Evangeline, who had been quietly observing her for a few minutes.

"I'm just... worried," she mumbled almost inaudibly.

"Why don't you sit down," she suggested, and led her over to the small couch next to the bed.

"This is the chap you were talking to at the market that one time, isn't it?" she asked.

She nodded silently.

Evangeline looked over at him for a moment. "You don't just fancy him, do you..."

She shook her head slowly.

"You love him?"

She continued to stare at him. "I do, Lily. Very much."

She frowned in sympathy for her sister. "I can't imagine what this must be like for you, Tori," she said, using the nickname she'd given her years ago. "He is very handsome, though."

A faint smile appeared on Victoria's face. "He is indeed."

Evangeline turned back to look at her, placing a comforting hand on her arm. "Don't worry, Tori. He'll get better soon and everything's going to be just fine. We're all going to take good care of him."

She smiled warmly at her little sister, reaching out to hug her tightly. "Thank you, darling. I think I feel a bit better now."

She returned the smile. "What are sisters for?"

"Victoria, dear?" Mr. Watson popped his head inside the door. "May I have a word with you?"

"Of course, Papa," she said, getting up and following him into the dining room. They sat across from each other at the table.

Mr. Watson heaved a sigh. "Victoria, I've been awfully worried about you lately. You've been sneaking out under my nose and I never know where you've gone. I want you to explain to me what's going on. You told me earlier that this boy, Enjolras, is a friend of yours?"

"Yes, Papa, he's a good friend of mine," she said, twiddling her thumbs nervously.

"How did you meet him?"

"I, ah..." she hesitated. She looked up at her father. He was a man in his mid-fifties. His eyes were a cloudy blue and his short hair was tinted silver, mostly from the stress of raising two daughters on his own. His worry put a damper on his kind face. As much as it shamed her to tell him the truth, she simply couldn't bear to lie to him.

"I, well... One evening, Lily and I got into a row. I got frustrated and went to get some air outside... and I ran into some trouble..." she stared at the table.

"What kind of trouble?" her father pressed.

She closed her eyes for a moment. "A man... he tried to... to force himself upon me..."

All of the colour suddenly seemed to drain from Mr. Watson's face. "My God, Victoria. Why didn't you tell me?"

Tears were now starting to brim at her eyes. Everything just seemed to be falling apart. "I didn't want you to scold me for going out alone," she admitted. "But Enjolras saved me before anything terrible really happened. When we got away, he introduced himself and insisted that he walk me back home..."

He continued to listen; his concern deepening.

"After that, I saw him at the market, and he offered to introduce me to his friends, so I could get to know other people. I went, and, at the end of the night he... he told me that he'd fallen in love with me," she confessed in one blurb.

Mr. Watson's perplexed expression remained stationary. "You've been courting with this boy?"

She sighed, feeling exasperated. "Papa, it's _more _than courting... I... I love him."

He ran a hand over his face, feeling weary. He was unusually pale. "You... you love him..."

A few tears silently trickled down her cheeks. "I'm sorry, Papa."

He said nothing for a long moment, sighing deeply. "I forgive you, Victoria. This is all happening just a bit too quickly for me, I'm afraid," he said, giving her a curt smile.

She smiled back, reaching for his hand across the table. "Don't worry, Papa. He's a wonderful man. You'll like him."

He nodded, looking at the table. "He makes you happy?"

"Very much so," she smiled again.

"Well, then that's all I need to know," he said, patting her hand.

She suddenly felt like a huge weight had been lifted from her shoulders. "Thank you, Papa."

"But I daresay that I feel it is a bit inappropriate for him to be staying with us."

She sighed. "I know, but he has nowhere else to go. His parents died years ago, and he has no family within Paris. I had no choice but to bring him here."

"You could've brought him to a hospital," he suggested.

She grimaced. "And have him there all alone? I'm the closest thing he has to family. I can't just desert him, especially in his circumstances. All of his friends are dead. Who knows what else could've happened to him at the barricade – he probably has some awful memories. Not to mention in the hospital he is far more prone to infection, and he could die."

Mr. Watson considered this for a moment. "Alright. But neither of you is to leave the house without me from now on."

Victoria got up to give him a hug. "Thank you so much, Papa. I won't disappoint you again; I promise."


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N: **Hello everyone! Long time no see... I'm so very sorry for how long it's been since I last updated... I've been sooo busy and unfortunately writing has been shoved to the back of my priority list. But anyway, I managed to type this up (finally). Thank you all for bearing with me, and I hope you enjoy this chapter! Thank you for reading, and reviews would be lovely. :)

* * *

Later that evening, after they had eaten dinner and she had freshened herself up for bed, Victoria quietly let herself into Enjolras' room to check on him.

She pulled a chair over to his bed and sat down, quietly observing him. He looked so peaceful in his slumber; however, the rise and fall of his chest was laboured. Each breath he took seemed to take an inordinate amount of effort. She knew, with a sinking feeling, that he was fighting to stay alive.

In her hands, she held the letter that he had given her on the day he had left for the barricade. She knew she probably shouldn't read it under the circumstances, but she missed Enjolras dearly, and could hardly bear to see him in such a state. Even though she couldn't hear his voice, this was the second best thing.

She sighed and carefully opened the letter.

_My dearest Victoria,_

_Before I met you, my life was dull – in the simplest terms. It lacked meaning that I didn't even know I was missing._

_The first time I ever laid eyes on you, I was instantly overcome by an amazing, inexplicable feeling. I felt like my world had opened up a brand new universe to me that was tranquil and beautiful._

_At first I refused to believe how I felt. I'd always said that Patria was my only true love... but I quickly learned otherwise. I suppose that's the irony of love, isn't it?_

_You truly changed my life, Victoria. You showed me true happiness and all of the good things in life that I'd been missing._

_I am hoping that I will be able to come home to be with you, but if I am not so lucky... please know that the last days I spent on Earth with you were the most wonderful days of my life._

_I hope you will understand that if I am to die in battle, it is for the people of my country, and for you, to have a better life. If my own life is the price I must pay for freedom, then I shall gladly pay it. I'm sorry it has to be this way._

_Please stay safe, Victoria. If I do not see you again, perhaps we will find each other someday in the heavens above._

_With eternal affection, _

_Your Enjolras_

Victoria stared at the letter for a long moment, digesting the words very slowly. She folded it delicately and stared at Enjolras once again; a few tears slowly sliding down her cheeks. She had never met anyone as wonderful as him. No man, aside from her father, had ever treated her with such kindness and respect. She had known him not even a week, yet now she could hardly imagine her life without him. She prayed with every inch of her being that he would be able to recover.

Hesitantly, she reached over to grasp his hand. It made her even more upset when she felt how limp and frigid he was. She gently ran a hand over his arm, remembering distantly how it had felt to be touched by him. How she longed for it. Parting his hair carefully, she kissed his forehead softly.

"Please come back to me, my love."

* * *

A loud explosion sounded and Enjolras was knocked off of his feet. He shook himself roughly, getting back up and looking around, trying to get a firm grasp of his senses. In every direction, people were being mauled. Whether they were from the Amis or the Guard, the screams were constant. There was blood and feathers everywhere.

Out of nowhere, he felt a searing hot pain rip through his shoulder. He cried out, gasping for air and clutching it, nearly stumbling to the ground. His hand felt hot – when he pulled it away, he found to his horror that it was covered in his own blood. He staggered at the sight, seeing more blood drip to the ground from his shoulder. He felt dizzy as he tried to find shelter, somewhere, anywhere...

"Combeferre... Courfeyrac... Joly... take... take cover..."

He felt his consciousness slipping away by the second.

Someone was guiding him somewhere.

"Don't... give..." he slurred, now unaware of what was happening. All he could hear was his heart pounding in his ears, getting louder and louder with each beat... He heard something else in the distance...

"_Enjolras... Enjolras! Please... wake up... Enjolras..."_

His eyes fluttered open and he was momentarily blinded by the light that suddenly flooded his vision. He was panting heavily and sweating. His shoulder throbbed painfully and he swore he could see stars. The room around him spun wildly. A girl was leaning over him... she looked familiar, but he couldn't remember where he'd seen her before.

"Enjolras! Oh my goodness, you're awake, thank God..."

Enjolras blinked in confusion. Everything was a blur... At last, the girl's face came into focus. Victoria!

He gave his best attempt at a smile. "Vic-Victoria..." he said, breathing heavily.

"Yes, my love," she smiled, pressing something cold and damp to his forehead. "It's alright; you're safe now."

The dizziness suddenly overcame him and his head fell back onto his pillow. He was hallucinating madly, and he could hardly concentrate. He groaned, mumbling phrases that were incoherent.

Victoria bit her lip worriedly. She had never seen someone in such a state, and she wasn't sure what to do.

"Maybe you'll feel better if you eat something," she said, looking over to Evangeline, who was watching frightfully from the doorway. "Lily, would you mind fetching him a bowl of porridge please?" The young girl nodded curtly and hurried off.

She turned her attention back to Enjolras. "I know you're confused right now... but you're going to get better soon, my darling; I promise."

He groaned again, already frustrated with himself. He tried to move, but gasped at the searing pain he felt in his shoulder.

"Try not to move, alright? Don't strain yourself; you need rest," she told him gently, putting a hand on his good shoulder.

* * *

"He's delirious," the doctor concluded. "Judging by the symptoms you described from this morning, he woke up in a panic. Delirious patients often undergo drastic changes in mood – as you can see now, he is lethargic."

Victoria looked back into the room from where they stood in the hallway. Enjolras lay still, staring up at the ceiling blankly.

"You did the right thing," the doctor continued. "His behaviour will gradually improve as he gets stronger. He needs to continue eating regular meals, getting plenty of rest, and his wound will heal over time, given that it doesn't become infected."

"Thank you, doctor," said Mr. Watson, escorting him out. "There shouldn't be any problems with his recovery, I pray."

Victoria went back into his room, sitting down on the chair beside the bed. He merely continued to stare at the ceiling. She frowned, taking his hand in hers and rubbing it with her thumb gently.

"My darling, I hate to see you like this," she said quietly. "Please speak to me."

He turned his head slowly so that he could look at her. His eyes were sad and gloomy, and it broke her heart.

"The doctor said that you're going to get better soon, as long as you continue to eat well and get lots of rest," she said, trying to swallow the lump in her throat.

He heaved a sigh and closed his eyes, coughing in the process. "I feel useless," he said; his voice cracked and dry.

She sighed. "I promise that you aren't. You simply need time to recover."

"What... what happened... at the barricade," he wheezed.

She grimaced. "Enjolras I don't think that we should discuss this so soon..."

"Victoria," he coughed again. "Please."

There was a long moment of silence. The only sound in the room was that of Enjolras' heavy breathing.

"I... I, well... when I returned to the barricade, after the fighting... the... the only person I did not find was... was Marius," she whispered, blinking back her tears as she looked down at her lap, fumbling with her thumbs distractedly.

There was another long silence.

"All of that... for nothing..."

"No, Enjolras, don't think that way," she said, her voice heavy and thick with emotion. "Your friends believed in a cause, just as you do. They knew of the risks but still chose to join you. Do you remember what you wrote me?"

He said nothing.

"You said, 'If I am to die, it is for the good of my country.' You have to think of them in the same way. Enjolras you are alive for a reason. If you were meant to die, you wouldn't have been breathing when I returned to find you at the barricade."

Still, Enjolras said nothing. Victoria was starting to get worried – until she saw that he was crying silently.

"They didn't... deserve... to die," he choked out.

She could hardly bear to see him cry. Her own tears started to pour out. "I know, darling, I know," she sniffed, reaching out to wipe his tears and kiss him on the cheek. "I'm sorry it had to end in such a way."

"I should've... died with them," he said quietly.

Victoria squeezed her eyes shut, shaking her head. "No. Don't say that. All of this will be worth it in the end. You are going to live a great life; I can feel it deep down in my heart."

There was another moment of silence.

"I love you," Enjolras somehow managed to say.

She smiled sadly, kissing his hand that was still locked tightly with hers. "You should rest," she said, noticing that he could barely keep his eyes open. She reached down to kiss him softly, trying to make it last.

"I love you," she whispered, tucking his blanket around him and shutting his drapes before she silently left the room.


End file.
